A few thoughts on what it means to be a northern Californian with Trump as President

A lot of you have been disheartened by the electoral college victory selecting Mr. Trump as our current president despite him losing by 3 million votes. While the election was unpleasant, the first month or so of this administration has been a daily hot mess of incompetence sprinkled in with unseemly and gratuitous breaches of constitutional duty. The man can’t recall or keep an oath he took just January 20th.

Today however, there is some consolidation that our system of checks and balances is still alive, the country we were so proud of is not lost, and the president’s unlawful orders have been set aside by the judiciary in a decisive 3–0 denial of a chief executive for no respect for American values or the constitution.

Personally, I am also proud the appellate court was here in Northern California. Why? I’ve lived in New York, Washington and Austin and these are all cities I loved living in for many different reasons. But I was born and raised here in northern California, and it’s my home now and as I’ve gotten older I’ve wondered what impact that has had on how I view others and the world.

Are alien ideas and people something to be feared or something to embrace, improve and learn from? Are we safer by embracing the world and building connections to it? Or should we cower in our homes im fear of all things alien with no discordant challenges to our ideas or values?

Aside from the natural beauty here, great hiking spots, food, wine and uniquely amazing weather, we have a tradition in California that welcomes immigrants, tolerance of those who are different, and encouragement of pluralistic thought.

Is it no small coincidence then that northern California leads the world in innovation, job creation, competitiveness and creativity in a way that is unbeaten or matched?

If “Making America Great Again” means better jobs, innovation and wealth creation for American isn’t it these values that should be not just guarded but nourished rather than undermined as this president has done without the tiniest bits of temperance, judgment or wisdom?

These are values we should celebrate especially in times of difficulty and rapid and and often scary changes. Perhaps with all the natural beauty and great weather it just makes everyone here a bit more welcoming of alien ideas and people–it’s literally in the air.

To those who are still supporters of Mr. Trump, I know a FB post won’t change your support of the president but it’s a good time to pause and reflect if this individual will deliver on his promises or if he is simply a bad carnival act and we were duped. The constitution has provisions to remedy an error like this- our system is working and can work to resolve this.

While the court decision is helpful, we need 18 GOP senators to remedy this situation. This president can’t help himself and the sooner action is taken, the less damage is done. I look forward to that day and in the mean time I’ll enjoy today as a victory for liberty, true un hijacked conservative values, the constitution, and openness over living in fear and the most beautiful place to live on the planet.

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